Mechanism for wrapping caramels, pastilles and articles of similar shape



May 8, 1956 Filed April 6, 1951 A. SERAGNOLI CARAMELS, SIMILAR S PPINGSTILLES AND E 4 Sheets-Sheet l 84 Q 90 as FIG.9

INVENTOR Arlosto Seragnpli ATTOR NEY May 8, 1956 SERAGNOU 2,744,370

MECHANISM FOR W P CARAMELS, PASTILLES AND ARTICLES SIMILAR SHAPE FiledApril 6, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. l3

INVENTOR Ariosto Seragnoli ATTORNEY A. SERAGNOLI MECHANISM FOR WRAPPINGCARAMELS, PASTILLES AND 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ARTICLES OF SIMILAR SHAPE May8, 1956 Filed April 6, 1951 Ariosto Seragnoli AT TORNEY .May 8, 1956 A.SERAGNOLI 2,744,370

MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING CARAMELS, PASTILLES AND ARTICLES OF SIMILAR SHAPEFiled April 6 1951 4 SheetsSheet 4 FIG 10 104 INVENTOR Ariosto SeragnoliBY I iwga/ 0 FIG 11 ATT0R EY United States Patent O MECHANISM FORWRAPPING CARAMELS, PAS- TILLES AND ARTICLES on SIMILAR SHAPE AriostoSeragnoli, Bologna, Italy I Application April 6, 1951, Serial No.219,613

6 Claims. (Cl. 53--228) This invention concerns a mechanism which servesfor wrapping articles of various shapes, spherical, oblong, squashed,etc. arranging them in suitable manner within special sheaths orcoverings or Wrapping them within pieces of paper or other material. Inthe text the word wrapping is used to indicate the operations which areaccomplished on the said articles, to give them suitable dress andfinish for conservation, protection and sale, and

particularly vto indicate the necessary operations for vwrapping thearticles with pieces of paper or other material.

One object of the present invention is a mechanism comprising twopincers, each consisting or .two fingers carried by two levers which canopen or close as controlled; an

elevator, a folding mechanism with one side stationary and the othermobile acting as folding device, arranged in convenient fashion inrespect to the feeding mechanism and to stationary guides, havingsynchronized movements' suitable for wrapping a caramel or similararticle, lifted by the elevator, Within a paper tube or bag ready forsealing by a twisting operation.

Another object of the invention is the process and mechanism by whichthe tube that encloses the article is formed, by folding one end of thepaper by means of the mobile side of the folding mechanism whichacts asfolding device and by gliding the other end against a curved guideandfinally completing the tube by the motion of the second pincers afterthe product has been transferred partially wrapped from. the first tothe second .pincers.

Another object of :the invention is the system and arrangement fortransferring the article, partially wrapped, from the first to thesecond pincers, obtained by making thefingers of the second pincers passbetween those of the first, *while the levers :which carry the fingersmove in planes situated on opposite sides of thearticle.

Another object of the invention is the coordination of the closing phaseof the rufiders with that of. the wrapping twist so that the rufllerstighten the paper tube while the fingers of the twisters hold it andremain closed for all or nearly all the time of .the twisting phase,rendering possible the use of relatively poor type paper.

Another object, of the invention is the feeding mechanism consisting ofa disc, usually with a vertical axis, havingperipheral bottomlesspockets, of' suitable shape, corresponding to the shape of the articlesto be wrapped and to the position they must take, and which by a usualcontrol, for instance a Maltese cross, rotates intermittently.

The die is further provided in the center with a high zone f slopingtowards the perimeter, which slope directs the 2,744,376 Patented May 8,1956 Y which are obtained the processes of opening, closing and rotatingof the pincers, the milling of the paper and its wrapping in single ordouble bow-twist, as required in this style of wrapping for caramels andsimilar products.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will moreover appear fromthe following description taken in conjunction with'the attacheddrawings in which:

Fig. l is a front view of the mechanism, parallel to the plane in whichthe caramel or article which has to be wrapped moves, and represents thephase in which the wrapping cycle starts;

Figs. 2 and 3 are frontal ,views, like Fig. 1, and represent successivephases of the wrapping operation;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the mechanism in the phase correspondingto Fig. 3; I

Fig; 6 is a section of Fig. 5 according to plane AA (coinciding to planeAA of Fig; l

inciding to plane'BB of Fig. l

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of the twisting and closing mechanismof the rotating 'twis't'ihg'pincers;

Fig. 10 is a perspective schematic view of the feeding mechanism in apreferred manner of accomplishment;

Fig. I1 is a downward projection of the mechanism shownin Fig. 10; v

Fig. 12 is a section of the mechanism according to-pIane CC of Fig. 11,projected in the direction of the arrows;

Figs. 13 and 14 are schematic perspective views of the mechanismoperating the twisting respectively in the double and single end twistwrap fashion.

In the various figures the same numbers are used to designate the sameparts through the various views and sections. In the description and inthe drawings the invention is described in the particular form it takesfor the realisation of the machine for Wrapping caramels or articles ofsimilar shape in a double bow-twist: it can nevertheless be utilized invarious other applications as in particular for wrapping ca'ranrels andsimilar articles with a single end-twist and with the present patent itis intended to claim the inventionin all its possible applications".

While the invention is liable to various modifications and alternateconstructions, the manners of accomplishment shown in the drawings anddescribed in the text refer to preferred mannersfof accomplishment andare shown for the sole purpose of illustration, and it is not intendedthat the invention be limited to these and by these, "but the intentionis to cover all modifications and alternate manners of accomplishmentcoinciding with the scope and defined in the claims. The description ismade out illustrating the phases in which the wrapping is done, in apreferred manner of accomplishment. The phases are illustrated as takingplace" in succession, but in reality they can be interlinked andoverlapping in timing,v consistently with operational necessities;

First :phase.-'-At the beginning of the wrapping cycle article 'I whichhas to be wrapped, brought forward by feeding disc 2,. is located overthe elevator 3', in correspondence to the folding mechanism 4. On top ofthe Fig. 5 is a rear view of the mechanism operatingpincers product thefeeding-rollers 5 have brought the slip of paper 6, taken from spool 7,and cut to proper length by scissors 8.

Second plzase.-Article 1, held between elevator 3 and counter-elevator 3is lifted up together with the paper and is pushed between the sides 9and it of the folding mechanism, right beyond the folding mechanismitself, between fingers 14 and of the levers 11 and 12 of pincers 13.The paper is thus bent around the article 1 in the shape of an arch.

Third phase.Levers 11 and 12 of pincers 13 hold the product and paperbetween their fingers 14 and 15. Elevator 3 descends andcounter-elevator 3' ascends; the front side 9 of the folding mechanismmoves forward folding flap 16 of the paper under the articfe. The saidfront side 9 is carried by an oscillating arm which can be co-axial withthe body of the pincers 13, as shown in the figures, or not. In thefigures the system for guiding and operating the said arm is not shownand can obviously be obtained in various manners.

Fourth phase-Pincers 13, holding article 1 between its fingers, movesupwards, making the other flap 18 of the paper to glide against thestationary side of the folding mechanism 17 causing this also to folditself around the product, thus enclosing it in a tube. Having reachedthe end of the curved side of the folding mechanism 17 the articlepasses its upper edge and is brought between the fingers 19 and 20 ofthe second pincers 21. This passage is possible because the fingers 14and 15 and 19 and 20 are offset on the levers of pincers 13 and 21 andmove in a free space left between the two planes in which levers 11 and12 of pincers 13 and levers 22 and 23 of pincers 21 respectivelyoperate. The exit of the fingers and of the article from between elevator 3 and counter-elevator 3 is also possible because fingers 14 and15 are offset forward from levers 11 and 12, so that there is nointerference between said levers and counter-elevator 3' which operatesfurther out.

Fifth phase-Pincers 21 hold the article between fingers 19 and 20 whilepincers 13 free it by loosening the pressure of its fingers 14 and 16;then pincers 21 take the article outwards, causing the lower part 24 offiap 18 of the paper (see Fig. 2) to glide on the extension 25 of thestationary side 17 of the folding mechanism, so that the paper comes toclose the article in a completely formed tube. At the end of this lastmovement the extremities of the paper tube which extend beyond thearticle find themselves between the fingers 26 and 26a of the rotatingtwisters which close and take hold of the paper and in their rotationtwist it into a bow.

Perspective Fig. 4 shows the component parts which operate in this lastphase of the wrapping, parts which, for simplicity, had not been shownin the previous figures. The twisting fingers 26 and 26a are carried bylevers 76 and 77, hinged on pivots 27 and 28, mounted on the forkedextremity of sleeve 79, rotating and running in a hub solid with thebase and having a constant speed of revolution and an alternating axialbackward and forward movement operated by a cam.

Inside sleeve 79, shaft 32 which has a rack 31 can travel backwards andforwards (but not rotate in respect of the rotating sleeve 79). Itsrelative axial movement (in respect of the rotating sleeve) due to thedifferential action of two cams (see further) causes the opening andshutting of the twisting fingers 26 and 26a. While the said twistingfingers take hold of the paper, the ruffier 33 and 34, operated bydouble action cams (not shown in the drawings), close in and grip thetube in the area where the paper has to be twisted, ruffling it, so asto allow it to be twisted without being torn. The rufilers remain closedfor nearly the whole period of twisting.

Meanwhile the twisting fingers revolve and, at the same time advance(with sleeve 79), towards the article so as to compensate the diminishedlength of the paper due to the twist. This advance is operated through acam which sends forward the sleeve with the pivots on which the twistingfingers are hinged.

Having completed the twist, the twisting fingers open and free theextremities of the bow-twist which has been shaped. Pincers 21 alsoopen, freeing the wrapped article which is expelled and caused to falldown by an expeller 20a; thus the wrapping cycle is ultimated.

In Fig. 4, which refers to the double bow-twist wrapping, are shownbehind the product a part of the elements which serve to accomplish thetwist of the second bow, which are substantially symmetrical to thoseabove described; the corresponding elements are marked with the samenumbers with a hyphen to distinguish the rear ones from the front ones.These second parts are applied only when it is desired to accomplish thedouble-bow twist wrapping. When instead it is desired to make thesatchet or single-bow wrappings these parts are abolished andsubstituted by well-known arrangements for accomplishing the satchetfold at the bottom.

While Figures from 1 to 4 are schematical examples, the Figures 5, 6, 7,8 and 9 show with greater mechanical completeness, through views andsections, the mechanisms which operate pincers 13 and 21 and twistingfingers 26 and 26a.

The operation of the other mechanisms, as the elevator 3 andcounter-elevator 3', feeding rollers 5, scissors 8, folder 9 andruffle-rs 33 and 34, can be obtained with evident and well-known meansand is not shown in the figures for the sake of simplicity.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, which respectively represent the rear viewand the downwards projection section of pincers 13, the levers 11 and 12of pincers 13 are connected by hubs 35 and 36 and pivots 37 and 38, tothe little shafts 39 and 40 turning within the oscillating sleeve 41,which is free to oscillate within hub 42 of the base 43 of the machine.

The little shafts 39 and 40 are connected with toothed sectors 44 and45, geared together, and with levers 47 and 48 on which return spring 49operated for the purpose of keeping the pincers shut. Lever 46, actingon an appendix of arm 48, causes the pincers to open through the actionof a cam 54.

The oscillating sleeve 41 is operated, through rod 50, by a camshaft(not shown in the drawings). In a hub of the sleeve which unites rod 50to said sleeve the little shaft 51, which operates lever 46, rotates,transmitting to it, through crank 52 and roller 53, the movementsoperated by cam 54. Said cam rotates on a pivot which is concentric withthe bore in which sleeve 41 oscillates, and turns at a constant speed bymeans of a chain drive which operates gear 55.

Through the coordination of the profile and of the keying of cam 54 andof the transmission mechanisms which it operates, in phase with theoscillating movement of the oscillating sleeve 41 operated by rod 50,the appropriate succession of the phases for closing, rotating andopening of pincers 13 is obtained.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8, levers 22 and 23 of pincers 21 are keyed,through their respective hubs 56 and 57, respectively on shaft 58 and onhollow shaft 59. The former rotating within the latter, and the latterbeing guided in hub 60 attached to base 43 of the machine.

Oscillating sleeve 59 is operated by cam 68 through roller 61-guided byconnecting rod 62and to rod 63 hinged on pivot 64 (adjustable withinslot 65 of lever 66 which is attached, through hub 67, to theoscillating sleeve 59). With this mechanism it is possible to adjust theamplitude of oscillation of the above mentioned pincers.

Shaft 58, instead, receives an oscillating movement from cam 69, throughroller 70 guided by connecting rod 71, rod 72, sleeve 73, free on theshaft, and sleeve 74 which instead is fixed on shaft 58.

The movement is transmitted by free hub 73 "to hub 74 through spring 75,while the relative'init'ia'l p0. sition of the .two shafts is adjustedthrough adjusting screw 76. Through the coordination of the profile andof the keying of the two cams and of the transmissions the appropriatesuccession of the phases for closing, .rotating and openingof pincers.21 is obtained.

Referring to Fig. 9, levers 76 and 77 which carry the twisting fingers26 and 26a are hinged on pivots 27 and 28 and are one piece with the.toothed sectors .29 and 30 engaged by double rack 31. Pivots 27 and .28are hinged on fork 78 machined on the extremity of rotating sleeve 79,which can spin and move axially in hub 80,

fixed to base 43. Sleeve 79 spins at'constant speed being operated bychain driven gear '81 (not shown in the figures).

The alternating axial movement is operated, through slippers 82, offorked lever 83 hinged on fixed pivot 84, by cam 85 through roller 86.Spring 87, in contrast between the rotating sleeve and the base, servesfor the return.

Shaft 32, running axially within sleeve 79 and spinning in unison withit, receives axial alternating movement through button 88 of lever 89,hinged on fixed pivot 90 and operated, through roller 91, by cam 92.Return spring 93, in contrast between sleeve 79 and the machinedshoulder 94 of shaft 32, maintains the contact of roller 91 with cam 92.

Through the coordination of the profile and of the keying of cams 85 and92 and of the transmissions, the appropriate succession of the phases isobtained for 'closing, rotating and opening of the twisting fingers 26and 26a which, in phase with the rotary movement of sleeve 79 and withthe operation of pincers 13 and 21, and of the rufiiers, accomplish thebow-twist of the two ends of the paper tube, completing the wrapping.

Concomitantly with the phases for enclosing and wrapping of the articleabove described there is the operation of the feeding mechanism shown inFigs. 10, 11 and 12.

Vertical shaft 95 is operated by trip-gear by shaft 96 through pivot 97,sector 98 and the disc with arches and slots 99, which all together forma Maltese cross mechanism. Feeding disc 2 rotates in solid with shaft95. The shaft is provided with pockets 100, in number corresponding tothe number of trips which the disc accomplishes in one completerevolution.

Under the pockets are arranged the miniature rails 101 sustained bybrackets 102 fixed to the base of the machine 43, which sustain thearticles which drop into the pockets 100 and arrange themselves therein.

Above the rotating disc, which is superelevated in the centre, thereare: a wall 104, an entrance diaphragm 105 and an exit brush 106 fixedto base 43 which elements, with the central superelevation of the disc,form a sort of basin with mobile bottom into which the articles to bedistributed into the pockets are loaded in bulk. Owing to thesuperelevation of the disc the articles come together in the areaovertopping the pockets and fall into these spontaneously or by helpingthe distribution by hand or by means of rotating brushes, mixers, etc.

By the tripgear movement of disc 2 the pockets come to halt successivelyabove the elevating disc 3 which in cooperation with counter-elevator3shown only in some of the figurestakes hold of the articles 1 and liftsthem up to bring them under the action of further mechanisms of theclassifying and wrapping machine, together with the wrapping paper 6, ifwrapping is entailed.

In Figure 12 is shown, over the article contained in the pocket 100, theslip of paper 6 which serves for wrapping the article. Said slip ofpaper is usually brought over the. article from the exterior, withradial motion, with known methods which are not shown and they can betaken from spool or be fed to the machine '6 already cut, and that thewrapping material be single or multiple.

Such a slip of paper may. of course, be provided and fed in any suitableway.

Having thus described the invention in its details with reference topreferred constructional manners of accomplishment, it will be obviousfor experts'in this field, after having understood the invention itself,that other changes and modifications can 'be made without deviating fromthe spirit and scope of the invention itself and it is intended, throughthe following claims, to cover also those changes and modificationswhich enter into the spirit of the invention and into the scope of thefollowing claims.

What I claim is: I

1. In an article-wrapping machine, a feeding means for feeding a sheetof material for forming wrappers for the articles; a distributing meansfor positioning each of the articles in said machine; gripping means forholding together a wrapper and an article; means for transporting saidgripping means together with the article and wrapper; folding means forfolding the wrapper to U-shape about the article when said article andwrapper are transported; a first set of pincers for grasping saidarticle and U-shaped wrapper; means for removing said gripping means;folding means for folding one leg of the U-shaped wrapper underneath thearticle; a stationary folder and guide; means for' moving said first setof pincers in order to transport the article and partially foldedwrapper along said folder and guide for folding and retaining theremaining leg of the Wrapper underneath the article to form 'a tubularwrapper; a second set of pincers for grasping said article and. wrapperat the end of the folder and guide; means for releasing the first set ofpincers from the article and wrapper; rotary twisting means; means formoving the second set of pincers to transport the article and foldedwrapper to said twisting means; ruffiing means located between thearticle while it is in the said last position and said twisting means,and means for moving said rufiiing means to ruflie the tubular wrapperand for moving said twisting means to twist an end of the tubularwrapper about the article; and means for releasing the wrapped articlefrom the second set of pincers.

2. In the article-wrapping machine of claim 1, wherein each set ofpincers comprises a pair of pivotally mounted levers having grippingportions for grasping the article 1 and wrapper.

3. In the article-wrapping machine of claim 1, wherein a set of pincerscomprises a pair of levers, said levers mounted on adjacent parallelshafts; means for intermittently oscillating said shafts in oppositedirections with respect to each other to alternately grip and releasethe article and wrapper. i

4. In the article-wrapping machine of claim 1, wherein a set of pincerscomprises a pair of levers, a pair of concentric shafts, each of whichis connected to one of said levers; and means for intermittentlyoscillating said shafts in opposite directions with respect to eachother to alternately grip and release the article and wrapper.

5. In the article-wrapping machine of claim 1, wherein the rotarytwisting means comprises two pairs of twisting jaws oppositelypositioned; means for rotating each pair of jaws at a constantcontinuous speed; means for intermittently and alternately opening andclosing each set of twisting jaws, while said second set of pincers isholding the article and wrapper in stationary position; and means formoving said oppositely positioned pairs of twisting jaws axially towardseach other while said jaws are closed, to compensate for the movement ofthe twisted wrapper ends.

6. In the article-wrapping machine of claim 1, wherein the distributingmeans for positioning each of the articles in the machine itselfcomprises a rotatable mounted disc, provided with a central raisedportion and peripherally disposed bottomless pockets, each of which arefor receiving and entirely containing an article; guides positionedbelow said bottomless pockets to sustain the articles; walls positionedover the disc; exit retaining means cooperating with said central raisedportion of said disc to divide the area above the disc itself in anencircled area for charging in bulk the articles to be distributed; anouter removal area; gripping means, vertically movable, positioned overand underneath the disc in said outer removal area; means forintermittently advancing the disc and stopping it while a bottomlesspocket with an article is positioned between said gripping means; meansfor lifting the gripping means together with an article and wrapper,passing the lower of said gripping means through said bottomless pocketfor transporting an article and wrapper, and for returning said lowergripping means to its initial position while the disc is stationary.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,226,622 Kempf May 15, 1917 1,955,493 Grover Apr. 17, 1934 1,960,903Zangler May 29, 1934 1,964,411 Beutel June 26, 1934 1,965,321 Smith July3, 1934- 2,462,276 Mueller Feb. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 55,236Netherlands Sept. 15, 1943 644,805 Great Britain Oct. 18, 1950

